Method of and composition for coating dolls



manufacturer, and ultimate consumer.

Patented Oct. 30, 1934 PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF AND COMPOSITION FOR COATING DOLLS Jacob Frisch, New York, N. Y.

No Drawing. Application May 28, 1932, Serial No. 614,305

8 Claims.

I It is the object of my invention to provide a new and improved type of doll which will be more durable and can at the same time be manufactured at a lower cost than the present glue composition doll.

Itis a further object of the invention to provide a finish for dolls which will more nearly simulate the human skin (both with respect to appearance and feel) than has heretofore been the case.

" .Heretofore dolls have been molded under heat andpressure from a composition consisting of Wood fiour, starch, rosin and water. The various parts consisting of head, legs, arms and body may bemolded in solid form or hollow form. When made in hollow form each part is molded in two halves. The two halves are then glued together to form a whole part consisting-of a head, body, leg or arm. The various parts are then coated by dipping in a hot glue composition. This glue dip consists ordinarily of a mixture of hide glue, lwhite lead, glycerine, water and a small amount of vegetable or mineral oil. The

Iobject of the glue dip is to form a thin smooth coating over the composition, thereby providing This protective coating of lacquer is pigmented and colored to simulate the color of human skin.

E'I'he, lacquer may be applied by any of the usual methods but application by spray gun is generally preferred.

It is customary to spray a pink orred lacquer on the cheeks andatan or brown lacquer on the top of thehead to simulate hair; In other cases a wig is attached to the top of the head. Holes are then punched in the head and artificial eyes inserted. The parts are nextassembled to form the finished doll." The various parts are usually fastened together with rubber bands or by cementing to pieces of fabric.

The abovementioned glue clip has a number of serious'defects both from the standpoint of the Due to its hygroscopicity it dries very slowly if at all .during periods of humid weather, whereas under favorable condition'sit may dry in twenty-four hours; Itis not unusual for the glue dip to require from ninety-six hours to an entire week :before ithas dried sufficiently to allow the application of' the lacquer. On the other hand under conditions 'of unusually low humidity it has a tendency to dry so thoroughly that the surface becomes so hard and glass-like that the lacquer does not adhere properly. Atbest the manufacturer is subject at all times to weather conditions and can neither determine with certainty the length of time required for the filling of an order nor can he satisfactorily control the quality of his finished product. It is not uncommon for checks or deep cracks to appear in the'finished product thereby making the merchandise unsalable or resulting in the dissatisfaction of the buyer. Such checks or cracks in the glue dip extend through the lacquer coating and may result from expansion of the glue, from adsorption of moisture, or contraction of the glue dip due to loss of moisture. Oftentimes the glue dip does not adhere well to the composition with the result that blisters and peeling develop and the doll becomes unsightly and useless. Chipping of the lacquer finish is liable to result if the doll is dropped on a hard surface.

Under present methods eye openings must be out within eight hours after lacquering otherwise both the glue dip and the lacquer may become so brittle that satisfactory results cannot be obtained.

Another type of doll is made from molded rubber and may be manufactured in either solid or hollow form. This type of doll is expensive to fabricate and requires a considerable expenditure for costly steel molds.

In carrying out my invention I employ a heavy rubber compound tinted to the desired color and dissolved in a suitable solvent such as petroleum naphtha, coal tar naphtha, benzene, toluene or the like. The molded parts may be made from the same composition and in the same manner as described above. After removal from the molds and after gluing the two halves together (in the case'of the hollow type of doll parts) the several parts are dipped into the solution of rubber compound. The parts are then hung up or placed on pegs to allow the excess rubber composition to drain off and the solvent to evaporate.

- In most cases I find one coat of the rubber .composition gives a satisfactory product. If a thicker and tougher coating of rubber is required two or more coats may be applied. For satisfactory results it is necessary that the part be thoroughly dried before succeeding coats are applied.

After drying, the rubberized surface is dusted with starch, clay, magnesium, aluminum or zinc stearates or any finely pulverized material found suitable to remove the natural rubber tackiness and which will give the desired gloss and feel.

After dusting the part, the rubber composition is vulcanized by dipping said part into a sulphur chloride solution of suitable strength; allowed to dry and then dipped into a bath of water and ammonia to neutralize the excess sulphur chloride. This is in accordance with established principles and common knowledge in the rubber art.

An example of a suitable rubber composition is as follows:

A suitable curing or vulcanizing solution may consist of Sulphur chloride (S2012) 6.0 oz.

Add to one gallon of a mixture of 50 parts carbon 'bisu'lphide and 50 parts of benzene.

A suitable neutralizing solution-- Parts I Aqua ammonia sp. gr. .90 10 Water 90 The above formulas may be varied as desired to meet such demands as increased or decreased toughness, smoothness, gloss, adhesiveness, etc. Also, depending on the nature of the composition doll parts an initial or priming coat may be applied to obtain a smoother surface or to increase the adhesion of the rubber coating. Such a priming coat may be a resin dissolved in a suitable solvent, an air drying or'heat drying oil, a varnish or a synthetic resin primer.

The rubber composition may be changed to employ the heat method of vulcanization by incorporating suitable accelerators, with or without sulphur, which after dipping, drying and dusting may be cured'by subjecting to a suitably elevated temperature for the required length of time, depending on the accelerator or accelerators used and the sulphur content. Such methods are well known in the rubber art and are capable of almostinfinite variation. Among such variations can be mentioned the use of so-called ultra type accelerators and making two or more rubber solutions which contain separately the accelerator and thesulphur and dipping the doll part first in one and then-in the other "or mixing the two solutions just prior to using. vulcanization may be effected by dippingin hot water, exposing to heated air, or exposing to live steam or even by standing a period of time at room temperature.

I do not limit myself toany particular method of compounding or vulcanizing. Among those contemplated may be mentioned compounding with benzoyl-peroxide, trinitro benzene and ouring with heat and also vulcanizing by using ultra violet light.

I may also use the so-called compounded latex and water dispersions of rubber which give siniilar rubber coatings by dipping or spraying, with certain advantages over the ordinary rubber solvent solutions such as aheavier coating with one dipping. These may be cured with sulphur chlorideor by the use of heat (with accelerators and sulphur) as previously described.

For coloring the cheeks or to simulate hair I may apply by spraying or other suitable means a pyroxylin lacquer, paint or enamel of the desired color. I may also employ a coating made by grinding pigments in a solution of gutta percha orbalata. As an added protection I may apply over these coatings a thin coat of shellac, varnish, or transparent pyroxylin lacquer. If a higher lustre or gloss is desired it is sometimes of advantage to coat the entire article with shellac, varnish, or transparent pyroxylin lacquer.

Neither do I limit myself to any particular type of molded composition although the mixture of wood flour, starch and rosin described above has proven very satisfactory as to cheapness, ease of manufacturing and durability of the finished article. I have found that my protective and decorative coating of vulcanized rubber permits the manufacture of a superior type of doll from other molded compositions such as plaster of Paris, wood pulp, resins and the like. In any case the article made according to my invention is one that has the desirable qualities of durability, cheapness and excellent appearance. The coating of vulcanized rubber gives a desirable velvety feel and more nearly simulateshuman skin in this respect than the hard and comparatively brittle finishes which have heretofore been used. In addition to the improved appearance and feel, by preventing adsorption of moisture and resultant swelling, cracking and disintegration of the base composition is effectively eliminated. The surface is easily washed with soap and water. The resilient rubber coating protects the base composition from shock and greatly increase the value and the .wearing quality of the article. Manufacture is in no way dependent on weather conditions and the drying and curing of the rubber may be accomplished in one hour whereas glue dip requires at least twenty-four hours and often a week or longer according to weather conditions. Consequently, it is to be understood that while the rubberized coating and the method of application described have been foundto be highly efficient, the invention goes beyond the particular .composition employed 415 in that it embraces the larger thought of disposing between a composition doll body and .the final finishing coating thereon, a composition which not only simulates the appearance and feel of the human skin but which is non-hygroscopic and consequently avoids the'delays,- losses and destructive andundesirable effects above outlined. Having described my invention, what I claim 1. The herein described method of treating doll 125 parts made from a hygroscopic composition, to cause them to be moisture proof and to simulate the feel of human skin which consists of coating said parts with a vulcanizable rubber composition comprising latex crepe, white factice, 3130 zinc oxide, lithopone, whiting, barytes, coloring material, dusting said parts with a finely pulverized material taken from the group consisting of starch, clay, magnesium, aluminum 'or zinc stearates and'thereafter vulcanizing the said rubber composition.

2. As an article of manufacture, a doll part molded from a hygroscopic base material consisting of wood flour, starch,'-rosin and water, and a thin coating of rubber vulcanized thereon by the sulphur chloride method of vulcanization, said rubber composition'consisting of latex crepe, white factice, zinc oxide, lithopone, whiting, barytes and coloring material.

3. Theherein described method consisting of molding a doll part from the normally hygroscopic composition described consisting ofwood flour, starch, rosin' and Water, coating the same with a protective coating of vulcanizable rubber, and vulcanizingsaid rubber.

4. The herein described method consisting of molding a doll part from the normally hygroscopic composition consisting of wood flour, starch, rosin and water, coating the same with a protective coating of vulcanizable rubber, drying the same, dusting the rubberized surface with a finely pulverized material taken from the group consisting of starch, clay, magnesium, aluminum, or zinc stearate and thereafter vulcanizing the said rubber composition.

5. The herein described method consisting of molding a doll part from the normally hygroscopic composition consisting of wood flour, starch, rosin and water, coating the same with a protective coating of vulcanizable rubber, drying the same, dusting the rubberized surface with a finely pulverized material taken from the group consisting of starch, clay, magnesium, aluminum, or zinc stearate and thereafter vulcanizing the said rubber composition by dipping the same into a sulphur chloride solution.

, 6. The herein described method consisting of molding a doll part from the normally hygroscopic composition described consisting of wood flour, starch, rosin and water, coating the same with a protective coating of a suitable rubber composition consisting of latex crepe, white factice, zinc oxide, lithopone, whiting, barytes and coloring material, dusting the rubberized surface with a finely pulverized material of a nature to remove the natural rubbery tackiness and impart the feel of human skin, and thereafter vulcanizing the said rubber composition.

7. The herein described method of molding a doll part from the cheap normally hygroscopic composition describedconsisting of wood flour,

starch, rosin and water, coating the same with a protective coating of a vulcanizable rubber composition consisting of the following ingredients combined in substantially the proportions drying the same, dusting the surface thereof with a finely powdered material of a nature to remove the natural rubber tackiness and impart a smooth and velvety feel to the finished article, and thereafter applying to the surface a vulcanizing solution having as its essential ingredient sulphur chloride.

8. The herein described method which consists of molding from a cheap normally hygroscopic composition having as an essential ingredient wood flour, an element shaped to constitute a doll part, coating the same with a protective coating of vulcanizable rubber, drying the same, dusting the rubberized surface with a finely pulverized material taken from the group consisting of starch, clay, magnesium, or zinc stearate and thereafter vulcanizing the said rubber composition.

JACOB FRISCI-I. 

